Do you bowl your best when you have little chance to win or when you don’t care whether you win? Do you annoyingly bowl badly in competition- so much so that it isn’t enjoyable. I am one of those persons and for a long time, I was mystified why this happens.
Then I was listening to a spirituality podcast with Anthony de Mello and he recited the words of the Chinese poet/mystic Zhuangzi:
When the archer shoots for nothing he has all his skill.
When he shoots for a brass buckle he is already nervous.
When he shoots for a prize of gold he goes blind;
Or sees two targets. He is out of his mind.
His skill has not changed, but the prize divides him.
He cares; he thinks more of winning than of shooting.
And the need to win drains him of power.
It seems one must compete until it doesn’t matter anymore!
